What If
by tiffanynicolexo
Summary: "I believe that fate is choices, it's not by chance." Modern AU- Misty and Gary meet one night after not seeing each other for quite a few years and after a night of awkward conversations and stolen glances, Misty takes up Gary on his offer and nothing is the same for her after that.


**AN: So this is my first story! I write a lot of headcanons but I thought I was take a shot with writing an actual story. I don't normally ship egoshipping but I wrote this for a friend! I rated the story as M JUST IN CASE but I don't think it will have anything graphic (slight adult material) or really strong language. This is gonna be a multi chapter fic, I just don't know HOW many chapters. It's my first story so please be nice lol**

The night started out normal enough for Misty. It was Saturday night when she found herself walking into a bar 20 minutes late to meet her friends for a few drinks.

"Sorry I'm late; traffic was worse than I thought it was going to be," Misty said as she sat on a stool being reserved by one of her friends.

"Don't worry about it," her friend Lauren said. "I'm still on my first drink." She pointed to her half drank martini.

"Miss? What would you like to drink?" The bartender asked Misty.

"Rum and Coke on the rocks please." Misty answered back politely.

After that, Misty turned her attention back to Lauren, although a sight right behind Lauren's head caught her eye. Misty and Lauren's other friends, Liz and Payton, were just coming out of the bathroom.

"MISTY!" Payton shrilled as she trotted up to her, as fast as anyone could in 3 inch heels.

"Hey, Payton," Misty said as she stood up to give Payton a hug. She looked back at Liz through Payton's blond curly hair.

Payton takes her seat next to Lauren as Liz walked up to Misty with arms open. "Wow Misty, you look amazing!" she said. "Maybe I should pick up swimming!"

Misty rolled her eyes. "That won't last long; you'll complain about it being too damaging to your hair."

Liz gave a smirk and shrugged.

"But we're not here for that!" Misty said cheerily, changing the subject. "How was Kalos?"

Misty and Liz found their seats on either side of Lauren and Payton. Liz had just spent the last 6 month in Kalos studying fashion design and this bar meeting was the reason for all of their friends to get together.

"It was a lot of fun, and I definitely learned quite a bit about what it takes to be in the fashion world. I can see myself moving there in the next few months," Liz said enthusiastically.

"That's awesome, Liz!" Lauren said with a smile. "Now I have an excuse to-"

Just as Lauren was about to finish her sentence, there was a commotion in the bar and the four girls turned around to see what the hype was about.

Two men had walked in, one with short blond hair and the other a familiar-looking face known throughout the regions. Spiky brown hair, hazel eyes, and an "I am the man" stance. The men walked towards the other side of the bar from where Misty and her friends sat.

"Is that Gary Oak?" Payton asked, a sly smile on her face.

Misty choked on her drink when she heard his name.

"Whoa, Misty, are you okay?" Liz asked, concern laced in her voice.

"Did you just say Gary Oak?" Misty asked hesitantly once she stopped coughing.

"I did," Payton said. "I'm pretty sure that's him over there. Next to that blonde guy."

Misty whipped her head around to the direction where Payton was looking. There was no mistake and that was, in fact, Gary Oak. It had been about 10 years since Misty had seen him last. He looked like that same stuck up snob he was back then, only older. And maybe even slightly hotter as well...

Misty shook her head to rid those thoughts. "Yeah, that's Gary Oak," she said matter-of-factly as she took a sip of her drink.

Payton had a look in her eye like a predator hunting its prey. "I'm gonna go talk to him," she says as she swipes on a fresh layer of pink lip gloss and pulls her red strapless dress up a bit and made her way to where Gary and his friend were sitting.

"Here we go." Liz groaned. "I can see that hasn't changed since I've been gone."

"Oh cut her some slack," Lauren began. "She and Ben recently broke up; she deserves to go out and have a little bit of fun."

Lauren starts to catch Liz up on what happened between Payton and Ben while she was gone. Misty, however, was not paying attention to what either girl was saying as she was too focused on watching Payton. She stood tall and had a little shake in her hips as she made her way over to where Gary was. Misty saw her tap him on the shoulder, giving him her biggest smile while shaking his hand. Gary seemed intrigued by the blonde, giving her his full attention. Misty could tell words were being exchanged and all of a sudden Payton nodded in the direction where Misty and her friends were sitting. When Gary looked up to see what Payton nodded to, Misty quickly turned her attention to the bartender.

"Can I get a shot of Fireball please?" Misty asked quickly trying to ignore the fact that Gary and Payton and his friend were walking back to where the rest of the girls were sitting. Alcohol probably wasn't the answer to ease her nerves but she thought maybe it would help. Even if just a little bit.

The bartender gave her sort of a strange look and put the shot down next to her. She threw her head back and let the cinnamon liquid burn down her throat.

"Another Rum and Coke too as well. Open a tab," Misty said as she slid her credit card to the bartender.

Just as the bartender gave Misty her drink, she heard Payton's voice behind her.

"Hey guys, this is Gary!" Payton said cheerily as though she and the girls hadn't been talking about him minutes before.

"Hi," Lauren said, nodding her head.

"Hey," Liz said quietly while giving him a small wave.

Misty decided not to say anything while she took a sip of her second Rum and Coke.

"Hello, ladies," Gary said in a smooth tone. "I should introduce you to my friend as well. This is Austin," Gary said as the blond-haired man waved in response, smiling slightly.

"Oh right!" Lauren spoke up. "I should introduce you to my friends as well! That's Lauren, right next to me is Liz, and this fine lady is-"

"Misty Waterflower," Gary said with a smirk on his face as he interrupted Payton.

Payton gave Misty a strange look while Lauren and Liz just seemed to give each other the same strange look as well.

"Misty," Payton began, "I didn't know you knew Gary Oak! Why didn't you say so?"

"Yes, I do know Gary Oak," Misty said hotly. "I didn't mention it because he's from my past."

"It's nice to see you too, Red," Gary said in a teasing manner.

Misty's eyes went so wide after Gary's remark, they looked like saucers.

"DON'T call me that!" she spat back angrily.

Lauren sat back and, along with their other friends, watched the exchange between two people from each other's past.

"Wow, Misty," Lauren began to say, "you guys must go pretty far back if he has a nickname for you. Which you clearly do not like," she finished off, laughing slightly.

Just as Misty was going to say something with an angry expression on her face, Gary beat her to it.

"Oh yeah, Red and I here go way back. What is it now, Ten? Eleven years?"

Misty sent him a glare before answering, "Yes, Lauren, we do go back. He used to be this self-absorbed womanizing slob so that's why I never mentioned I knew him." She smirked with a satisfied look on her face, crossing her arms, thinking she had won.

"Seems like you have the same fiery personality as you did back then," Gary said with a hint of smugness in his tone.

Or not.

"Seems like you have the same asshole personality as you did back then," Misty fired back.

Misty and Gary started to argue back and forth (more arguing for Misty, more smart ass response from Gary). Payton looked as though she just came up with a brilliant plan. She leaned over to Liz and whispered something in her ear, smirking slightly.

"Hey, Lauren, can you come with me to the bathroom real quick? I need help fixing my top," she said, tugging on the string of her flowy halter top.

"Uh sure…" Lauren said with uncertainty in her voice but got up and followed Liz to the back anyway.

About five minutes later, after Misty and Gary's argument ended, Austin piped up tell Gary he had to leave. Gary and Austin did a complicated handshake which all guys seem to have with their friends, and Austin left.

Another ten minutes had gone by and Lauren and Liz still had not returned from the bathroom.

Geez what happened? Did they fall in? Misty thought to herself. She had stopped drinking a while ago and was now drinking water. She had enough of this night and was ready to go home.

"Hey, Misty," Payton said while looking at her phone, "I just got a text from my sister. My niece is sick and wants some extra help so I have to go do that."

"Oh, okay," Misty said to Payton as she got up to give her a hug.

"Don't worry, Lauren and Liz will be back any moment," Payton said before sliding her purse on her shoulder. Misty could've swore she saw a hint of mischief in her eye but it was gone before Misty could give it a second thought.

Twenty minutes after Payton had left and short conversations with Gary, Lauren and Liz still hadn't come back. Misty began to stand up. "I'm going to go see if they need any help."

But before she began walking in the bathroom's direction, Misty's phone went off. She pulled her phone out of her small handbag, not noticing Gary had been watching her the whole time.

Sorry, Lauren threw up and we had to bail. Have fun! ;)

It was from Liz. Misty knew it was a lie.

"Welp, looks like it's time for me to go home." She slid her phone back in her bag, standing up. "It's been a pleasure," she said sarcastically, "but I'm exhausted. See ya!" She began to walk away when she felt someone grab ahold of her wrist.

"What?!" Misty said with a sharp tone, pulling her wrist out of Gary's grasp.

"Uh oh," he began, "Austin was my ride, and he left and now I have no ride home so maybe..."

Oh no. He's going to ask for a ride home, Misty thought.

"...you could give me a ride home." Gary concluded.

Misty scoffed. "And why should I give you a ride home?"

"Because you know you want to. You've actually enjoyed your evening with me around."

Misty inhaled and stood straighter. That is NOT true, I was annoyed, Misty thought. Although he has grown hotter since I saw him at the age of 14. What, wait? I'm not actually thinking that-

"Oh come on, Misty," Gary said. She noticed he used her name and not that nickname she couldn't stand.

"Plus, you called me an asshole when I was nothing but nice to you. Take me home and we'll call it even."

Misty felt a headache coming on. All she wanted to do was go home and go to bed and Gary was literally standing in her way of doing that. Letting go of her pride, Misty sighed.

"Fiiiiiine," Misty said, pulling her keys out of her bag. "Come on, let's go."

Misty lead Gary about a block away to where she was parked. Misty unlocked the doors and they both climbed up into her black Jeep.

Misty started up the car, "Okay, tell me how to get to your place."

"Or we can just go to your place." Gary said in a playfully tone.

"Don't push it, Oak, or I'll kick you out and I'll drive off," Misty scolded back.

"Okay, okay," Gary said. "Turn left up here..."

About 15 minutes later, Misty found herself in front of Gary's apartment complex. It was one of the newer ones that was recently built in Cerulean City, but Misty had never checked them out, seeing as she lived on the other side of town. She wasn't allowed to park in front of the building so Gary had her pull into his visitor's spot, next to an all-white Audi with black rims.

"That must be yours." Misty said, pointing to the car she pulled next to. "It's very flashy."

"Yep, that's my baby." Gary said, looking at the car with a slight smile.

"Okay well, you're welcome for the ride but I really need to be goi-" Misty began quickly before Gary cut her off.

"Come inside for a little bit."

"What?" Misty said in surprise. "Um, why?"

"Why don't you come in for a little bit, to have a glass of wine and catch up. It's been a long time since we've seen each other, and believe it or not, I'd like to see what you been up too."

Misty couldn't find her words. Had Gary just invited her inside? Alone? The only times she ever did see Gary were when she was with Brock and Ash. What would she do if he tried something?

"I won't try anything on you, if that's what you're thinking." Gary said, and Misty was surprised because it actually was what she was thinking.

She looked over at Gary and saw sincerity in his eyes. Something about them made it impossible to say no.

"Alright, but ONE glass of wine. I am tired, you know." Misty said.

"Sounds good." Gary smiled at her, an actual smile, and Misty began to feel light. "One drink."

Misty sighed as they both got out of her car and followed him into his apartment.


End file.
